[Asthma and its differential diagnoses].

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) occurs in immunocompetent patients and belongs to the Aspergillus induced hypersensitivity disorders. It is estimated that ABPA complicates approximately 7-14% of cases of chronic steroid-dependent asthma and the same amount of cases of cystic fibrosis. A diagnosis of ABPA is based on a combination of clinical, biological and radiology criteria.

[Allergic rhinitis and related diseases].

Allergic disease prevalence including allergic rhinitis has increased. It's relationship with other allergic diseases including asthma makes imperative it's diagnosis as well as co- -morbidity identification and associated complications. The most recent classification of the disease highlights the duration of symptoms and it's interference in the quality of life.

[Allergic inflammatory diseases of the upper airways and their impact on asthma--following on from a case report].

The authors present a case report of a patient referred to physician for "difficult-to-treat asthma". Clinical evaluation concluded that severe chronic inflammatory upper airway disease was an asthma worsening factor. Patient demonstrated improvement in asthma control, after surgery.